Our Blog: Safety, Product, Consumer Education and Community Interest

Those of us in Georgia who took our Drivers' Ed classes in decades past certainly remember the oft-repeated phrase "ten and two." Ten and two is a kind of code for the positions one's hands should take on a steering wheel. If the steering wheel is a clock, we were all told that you should place your right hand at two o'clock and your left at ten o'clock. Keeping your hands thus positioned would enable you to steer effectively and retain the greatest control over your vehicle. Ten and two! It's practically gospel, right?

Not anymore. These days, the old phrase "ten and two" should be amended with "is not best for you." Ten and two was ideal when cars were manufactured without power steering, and their wheels were much harder to turn. Having the hands placed relatively high up on the wheel made it easier to start a turn, using the weight of your hand and arm to help you move the wheel in a downward motion toward the right or left. While the ten and two position may still be perfectly suited for the few people who drive old cars and trucks without power steering, in most cases it is best replaced with a new standard: "eight and four."

Keeping hands at the eight o'clock and four o'clock positions allows you to turn a vehicle with ease and is widely thought to be the least-fatiguing of all positions. Nine o'clock and three o'clock are also good hand positions for drivers, as they enable you to enjoy balanced leverage. But it is generally more likely for a sense of tiredness to creep into hands and arms when they are fixed in those positions for long car trips. To stave off achy limbs when you're on the road for lengthy periods, you can safely use eight and four.

Another advantage to using the eight and four or nine and three positions is the decreased likelihood of injuring yourself in the event that your vehicle's airbag inflates. Airbags can emerge at a speed of more than 100 miles per hour! If your airbag comes out and your hands are at ten and two, they can be forcibly pushed back into your face, causing injury. In contrast, if the hands are at lower positions when the airbag comes out, they will most likely be pushed to the sides of your body.

Of course, every car trip is different. Sometimes, such as when you're making a quick trip to the supermarket, fatigue is not a concern, and nine and three will work just fine. Moreover, steering wheel and airbag designs vary, as do driving situations. And chances are if you were in an emergency situation, you would naturally move your hands up higher than the eight and four positions to nine and three to have more control of the wheel. It's okay to use the hand positions that allow for the greatest comfort, and, most importantly, feel safest at any given time.

For questions about driving safety and insurance, contact Kevin Panter Insurance today.

Do you consume health care wisely? This is the month for Georgia resident to consider that question.

The sad truth is, studies have shown that most Americans take more time researching their car or appliance purchases than they do their doctors and health plans. But what's more precious than your health? Certainly not a new truck or a refrigerator.

Part of the reason for this is the fact that, according to a 2011 survey, the majority of Americans do not feel confident that shopping around for good health care will actually save them any money. The attitude seems to be, "It's going to cost me a fortune no matter what I do or where I go, so what difference does it make?"

Meanwhile, health care costs continue to skyrocket. An average doctor visit costs about 200 dollars, while an emergency room visit costs nearly a thousand.

Fortunately, as health care consumers, we aren't as powerless as we may feel. Part of the purpose of National Wise Health Care Consumer month is to inform and empower people about making smart choices when it comes to their health care. The American Institute for Preventive Medicine has created a Wise Health Care Consumerism Toolkit (PDF), which you can access online. It offers ten elaborate tips for being a wise health care consumer, which are briefly outlined below:

1. Take your time in selecting a doctor.
2. Prepare for doctor visits in advance by writing down your questions and concerns.
3. Ask question about all the medications you are prescribed.
4. Tell all your doctors about all the medications you are taking.
5. Avoid unnecessary (and expensive) medical testing by keeping track of all the tests you take.
6. Use home medical tests when they are available.
7. Maintain a well-stocked home pharmacy that can help you manage common problems without a doctor.
8. Know your health insurance plan inside and out.
9. Don't forget to take care of your mental health just as you would your physical health.
10. Keep a list of health agencies handy.

Wise Health Care Consumer Month also has a special relevance for business owners who provide health care plans to their employees. It's an ideal time for you to empower your employees by starting a self-care program in which employees can really learn about their health benefits, learn how to create a home pharmacy, workshop ways to have good doctor-patient communication, discover the criteria by which they should evaluate their health care providers, and educate themselves on new ways to prevent illness.

Here's to a healthy 2013!

For more information about health insurance, contact Kevin Panter Insurance today.

Red hearts, chocolate, lace, and roses: it's that time of year again. With February comes Valentine's Day, and with Valentine's Day comes thoughts of love. While Valentine's Day emphasizes romantic love, or eros-the kind of love that results when Cupid's arrow penetrates a heart and inspires swoony, smitten feelings of attraction and desire-it's also a time to celebrate other forms of love, like the love a parent has for a child, the love between friends, or the quiet, strong and steady love between long-married spouses. Indeed, Valentine's Day is a time to honor all kinds of love.

And there's another way to honor all kinds of love, one that has nothing to do with cards and flowers. It's called life insurance. While you may not associate life insurance with love, you should. Here's why: love can actually inspire you to obtain the right life insurance policy; and the life insurance policy can, in turn, protect and care for the ones you love in the unfortunate event that you are no longer present to do so. Life insurance can protect your loved ones in numerous ways-almost as many ways as there are long-stemmed red roses sold on February 14th. Here are the top five:

1. Enable Your Spouse to Enjoy a Good Quality of Life: Because it replaces the deceased person's annual income, pays for medical benefits, and can also be used to replace the savings that would have come from his or her retirement, life insurance enables the spouse who is left behind to get back on-and stay on-his or her feet right after losing a loved one. This means your beloved husband or wife can continue to enjoy a good quality of life after you are gone.
2. Help Make Their Childhood Easier: It's not surprising, especially in these economic times, that a family can take as many as five years to recover from the death of a primary breadwinner. Five years is a long time in a child's life; for example, it's the span from rather babyish age 8 to hormonal age 13 and early adolescence. A lot happens during those years, and it would be a shame for them to be blighted by financial struggle. Life insurance can make childhood-which is already rife with challenges-a bit easier for your kids should they lose you.
3. Eliminate Death-Related Debt: Dying is expensive. A death is often accompanied by all kinds of debt, including funeral costs, hospital bills, a cemetery plot, and estate taxes, to name a few. A good life insurance policy will take care of all these expenses so the family members you may leave behind don't have to.
4. Keep Their Dreams of the Future Alive: A parent's death and the financial hardship it may cause can throw a wrench into a child's plans for college, or even a wedding someday. By obtaining life insurance, you can ensure that your kids can still pursue their dreams to obtain an education, or celebrate finding a husband or wife to share their life with.
5. Maintain Their Health and Prevent Illness: As strange as it may sound, life insurance can function to promote health and prevent illness in family members who are left behind after a loved one dies. Think about it: it costs money to eat healthfully, to see the doctor when you're sick, and to pay for health insurance premiums. Your life insurance can make all of this possible for your loved ones after your death, so they have a good chance of living long, healthy lives.

For more information about life insurance, contact contact Kevin Panter Insurance today.

Insurance can be a tricky business. Shopping for can feel intimidating because there are so many providers and plans to choose from, so much fine print...and so many misconceptions! Yes, myths abound in the insurance world, and they are perpetuated as readily and colorfully as any fairy tales or legends.

Do you know how to separate fact from fiction when it comes to insurance? Take this quick true or false quiz to discover just how clear-eyed you really are about insurance.

Questions:

1. True or False: Because they tend to be pulled over and ticketed for speeding more frequently than vehicles in other colors, red cars cost more to insure.
2. True or False: If you do not have any dependents, there is no real reason to buy life insurance.
3. True or False: Flood insurance is unnecessary and/or unavailable for people who do not live in high-risk areas.
4. True or False: No matter how small the misfortune, it's smart to use your insurance to cover it; that's what you're paying those premiums for.
5. True or False: Having an inexpensive vehicle does not necessarily mean you will pay less in auto insurance.

Answers:

1. False: While a car's make, model, body type, engine size, and age are all factors in determining the cost of auto insurance, color-no matter how crimson-is not relevant.
2. True: The purpose of life insurance is to provide financial security for the ones you will leave behind in the event of your death. If you don't have a spouse, children, or other family members who are dependent on you now for financial security, there really isn't any reason to get life insurance.
3. False: Actually, even areas that are not prone to floods may be included in the regions that are covered by the National Flood Insurance Program. Even if you live in a low-risk area, you may be eligible to obtain this type of insurance.
4. False: Sometimes, it's smarter to pay to repair something out of your own pocket-a fence post damaged in a storm, a tail light cracked in a fender-bender-than to ask your insurance company to cover it. Insurance is really designed to cover the costs associated with true disasters or major mishaps. If you can afford to pay for a repair or replacement yourself, go ahead and do so; otherwise, you will likely eventually see an increase in your insurance premiums.
5. True: While it may seem like a $500 jalopy is the way to go if you want to save money on car insurance, this isn't always the case. True, a cheaper car will require you to pay less for comprehensive coverage, which covers damage caused by weather, fire, vandalism, or accidents involving accidents. But if your old, cheap automobile has a big engine, is a rare model, or weighs a goodly amount, it may be even more costly to insure than a pricier car.

For answers to any other insurance-related questions, contact Kevin Panter Insurance today.

Most business owners in Georgia are so preoccupied by what's happening in the present-customers or clients to serve, bills to pay, employees to manage-that they scarcely have a free moment to think about the future. But the future comes much sooner than most of us expect, and it's smart for business owners to ask some serious questions about it. What would happen to your business, and your family, in the even of your death? Do you have the right life insurance policy in place, one that recognizes the role your business plays in the financial health of your family? Here are a few future-related questions for business owners-ones that, fortunately, we can answer.

1. How can I make sure my business will continue to flourish even when I'm gone?
   Purchase a key person life insurance policy. Such a policy recognizes that the success of your business is largely dependent on you; therefore, if you pass away, the policy will provide coverage that corresponds to the degree of importance and influence you had while running your business.
2. Will my business provide for my family if anything happens to me?
   Choose a life insurance policy with a death benefit that will provide funds for your family so that they won't just be dependent on whatever income your business may continue to provide after your death. A good death benefit will also function to provide funds to any children you have who may not be involved in your business. It will also pay for estate taxes, so those who are left in charge of your business won't be forced to sell it.
3. As a business owner, will it actually be possible for me to enjoy a comfortable retirement?
   Choose a cash value life insurance policy. This will provide you with retirement income that supplements any income you may have coming in from your business. It will prevent you from being wholly dependent on your business's success during your retirement years.
4. How can I pass my business over to another owner in the event of my death?
   A death benefit life insurance policy will provide your dependents with funds to purchase your business interest in the event of your death. This will enable them to take full ownership of the business.

Obviously, you need good business insurance as a business owner. But don't forget about choosing life insurance that will best serve you as a business owner, too.

For more information about life insurance for business owners, Contact Kevin Panter Insurance.